Commission must to protect child rights

In view of increasing violence against children incidents, a Child Rights Commission rather than a mere ombudsman is required in the country to protect and promote the interest of children, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.

At the discussion on "An Independent Institutional Body is needed for the Protection of the Rights of the Children", speakers agreed that a Child Rights Commission could both investigate and monitor cases of child rights violation and also take measures for overall development of a child's life.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) in association with Save the Children organised the discussion at Cirdap in the capital.

Reading out a concept note, Gita Chakraborty, deputy director of Child Rights Unit, ASK presented statistics of the organisation showing that 403 children were tortured and 164 children died between January 2014 and July 2015.

The concept paper mentioned that though the government passed a number of good laws and enacted policies to protect children, they remain unimplemented.

"Ombudsman is there to investigate any action taken by the ministry, statutory public authority or public officer," said Justice Muhammad Imman Ali referring to the Ombudsman Act of 1980 and mentioning the limitation of ombudsman's area of work.

He said the country needed an institutional body, which could protect children's rights including the right to food, health, education and security from physical, mental and sexual torture.

"The commission, however, must be effective and have resources. People from all disciplines that affect children must be involved in it," said Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation.

Criticising the government's recent move to reduce the minimum legal marriageable age of girls from 18 to 16, human rights activist Hamida Hossain said, "The government would not have dared to take such a step had there been a Children Rights Commission." Sultana Kamal, executive director of ASK, among others, spoke.